100 Themes: Emotions
by Katzstorm
Summary: The 100 themes: Emotion Challenge, using characters from Percy Jackson and the Olympians and Heroes of Olympus. Chapters- Birth, Enthusiasm, Love
1. Birth

Sally Jackson gave another cry of pain, but no one heard her, lying alone in a cabin on Montauk Beach. Something was wrong. Labor pains shouldn't be so agonizing. The world was spinning, and she was deathly afraid that she might pass out, which would only spill disaster for her and the baby. Another convulsion wracked her body, and she screamed again.

A blinding light filled the room, but her eyes were shut tight with pain. Without warning, a beautiful woman, dark-haired, clothed in a Greek chiffon with a seemingly silver-spin belt, materialized before Sally.

"I'm sorry I took so long, my dear," the woman said to Sally, who was breathing heavily. "I was detained by the Queen."

"Hera?" Sally managed to say, taking deep breaths to steady herself. "What does she care about a child of Poseidon?"

"Enough to fear that he may cause great damage to her, sweet one. But do not fear, the Sea God managed to delay her so that you may have time to deliver this child."

Sally nodded, her breathing finally steady. "Thank you."

The beautiful Greek woman smiled, then turned as she rummaged around in a small pouch attached to her belt.

"Eileithyia?" Sally asked.

"Hmm?" The goddess said, not turning from her pouch.

"Did Poseidon send anything with you? A letter, a message?"

Eileithyia turned back, the smallest of smiles upon her face. "He did indeed, little one. Now, rest," she said as she tossed a handful of the powder from her pouch onto Sally, who instantly feel asleep. "And allow this new wonder of life to come into the world."

* * *

Sally awoke with her newborn son in one arm and a letter tucked into the other. Eileithyia was gone. She kissed the beautiful, tiny baby, a mop of shiny black hair on his head. Careful not to wake her sleeping child, she opened the envelope and read her final keepsake from the god of the seas.

As she discovered the truth about the prophecies, enemies, and threats surrounding her tiny, infant son, Sally felt a tear trace down her cheek. There was nothing Poseidon could do but watch over them. She was alone.

The baby was stirring, and she watched as the little boy opened his eyes, gaping at the world around him. She gasped aloud, staring into the perfect, sea green eyes of his father. Immense joy flooded her, and she smiled at such a beautiful child, her child.

"Perseus," she named him aloud. May his fortune be a million times greater than hers had ever been. And as she spoke, a warm, soft-glowing light filled the room, enveloping the mother and her child, destined to be great.

* * *

**AN: Please review, and I shall continue with these one-shots. Next chapter: Enthusiasm**


	2. Enthusiasm

The _Argo II_ was Leo's baby. Anyone with half a brain could see that. And for Leo, well, let's just say that he was an extremely proud father.

* * *

"No Leo, I do not want to take a look at the new turbines you installed in the engine."

"But Jason, they've been modified! Now they have enough horsepower to run an aircraft carrier for a week! A week! I've just found a new source of clean energy!"

_Later that day:_

"No Leo, I don't need to see the new controls that you had installed at the helm."

"Come on, Pipes. They're _Wii_ controls! I'm a genius! Who else could've thought up the idea?"

"Only you Leo. Please get out of my cabin now, and quit dancing like a maniac! You're scaring me."

_Even later that day:_

"Hey Annabeth!"

"Leo, this cabin is armed with enough explosive to blow you to smithereens and make it look like an accident."

"How could be being blown up look like an accident?"

Deadly silence.

"I'm gonna be going."

"Smart choice, Valdez."

* * *

For the rest of the day, campers fled in the opposite direction whenever Leo came within speaking distance. Even Hephaestus campers were tired of talking shop with Leo. No one could wait for the day that the _Argo II _finally left Camp Half-Blood.

* * *

**AN: Enthusiasm. Leo definitely had it :P He has to be my new favorite character, he's definitely the most spontaneous. :)  
**

**Please review!  
**


	3. Love

**AN: I'm sosososososo sorry that this chapter took so long to post. It's been a hectic couple of weeks, but here goes:**

* * *

Sally inhaled deeply, trying to calm her rampantly racing thoughts. This was the only way to keep her son safe, to keep Percy alive. She would do anything for him.

Seven-year-old Percy tugged at her hand, trying to get his mother's attention. She looked down at her young son and ruffled his hair affectionately. "What's up, sweetheart?"

"Mommy, what are we doing here? Aren't we supposed to be going home?"

She smiled sadly at Percy and glanced up, taking in the apartment building before her, a baby-blue painted Camaro sitting in the parking spot out front. "We're here to meet your new daddy, kiddo." And taking her son's hand, the two walked up the steps out front, suitcases of their few belongings in hand.

Her first whiff of the apartment nearly made her gag, smelling of dirty laundry and moldy cheese with what smelled like a dead skunk rolled into one. The door creaked as it opened, and she heard shouts coming from the room ahead.

"Sally? 'S that you? Get on over here and get started on that cooking of yours, girl! I didn't marry you for nothing."

Sally sighed to herself, but bent down and smiled at Percy, kissing him on the forehead. "Go start unpacking your things, sweetheart. We're home."

Her innocent little boy nodded understandingly and raced off to explore this new place. Placing down her own bags, Sally entered to kitchen and started on food for her new husband. If this was the only way to keep her son alive, then so be it.

* * *

Seven years later, things had finally begun to go right with Sally. Gabe was gone, she had finally received her high school diploma, and Percy was safe. Or at least as safe as he would ever be as a demigod. With an apartment all to herself, Sally finally found the time to treat herself occasionally, even if only to a coffee shop for a blueberry scone and caramel cappuccino as she began work on her fiction stories. This day, however, the Fates had something special planned for her.

Always the multi-tasker, she carefully balanced her notebook, coffee, scone, and pencils in her hands, walking toward her usual table in the corner of the shop. Unfortunately, she overlooked the CAUTION : WET sign that stood prominently in the center of the shop. One slip, one slide, and one _oomp! _of surprise later, Sally Jackson found herself face down in the center of the cafe, her belongings scattered and coffee staining her periwinkle blouse. She felt her cheeks flush in embarrassment, but no sooner had she landed on the floor then she felt two strong hands grasp her arms and lift her to her feet.

"Are you alright ma'am?" Manners. Unusual for men of her age. At least, for the men that she had for acquaintances. She took in the sandy salt-and-pepper hair, the happy blue eyes that danced in front of her. So he was good-looking too. Just her luck to be a total klutz at the moment.

"Yes, I'm fine. Thank you," she said as he helped her up.

"I'm so sorry, I wasn't near enough to catch your food as it flew in the air." The man grinned sheepishly. "So much for being a knight in shining armor."

The comment was cute; Sally couldn't help but smile. "It's alright, helping me up was knightly enough."

"No, I feel awful. Let me buy you another coffee."

"Oh, no I couldn't -"

"Count it as a repayment. Sit and have coffee with me, I insist," he said, pulling out the chair opposite his table like a gentleman.

Sally smiled at the gesture. "I'm sorry, I didn't even catch your name."

The man grinned again. "Oh, I'm Paul, Paul Blofis."

"Blowfish?"

Paul laughed aloud, which startled Sally. His laugh was remarkably like Poseidon's. "No, but I get that a lot. I insist, let me pay for that new coffee."

Sally smiled back. "Sure, I'd like that."

Maybe her luck was turning for the better.


End file.
